Pros and Cons of Artificial Grass

30th March 2017

Artificial Grass

There’s no getting away from the fact that artificial grass has evolved. Recent technological developments in the design and manufacturing stages of its production, has created a product that is unparalleled in its realistic look and touch.

Despite continuing negative preconceptions, artificial grass sales continue to grow year on year by as much as 40% and for the first time the product is really making inroads into the domestic market. But can the fake stuff ever really take on the real thing? We look at the pros and cons of both.

The Pro’s

Maintenance: There’s no beating around the bush, artificial grass wins hands down when it comes to the minimal maintenance fight. The lawn is installed, and it looks the same all year round.

Small garden with a lawn. Before and after installation of artificial grass.

Appearance: There is no need to maintain your artificial grass lawn so you can rest assured that it’s going to look as good as the day you got it year in year out. No scorching, mud or yellow patches are also a major bonus. Whilst the fake stuff is never going to look as real as the real thing (obviously) major developments in the manufacturing of artificial grass has meant it is now coming really close, with many people admitting they can’t tell the difference when stood just a short distance away.

Medium sized garden with lawn. Before and after installation of artificial grass.

Interior friendly: With no grass stains, no mud and no mess, artificial grass is perfect for families with young children who just can’t help running around the house with their shoes on directly after coming in from running around in the muddy back garden with those very same shoes on.

Cost: Whilst the cost factor will also appear on the cons list, it can also be considered a pro because long term artificial grass costs far less to maintain than natural grass. Water, petrol mower costs or electric mower costs as well as fertiliser costs can all add up over the years.

The Cons

Appearance: Although also seen as a pro, the appearance of artificial grass can also be a con as it’s never going to be exactly like real grass, there’s no getting away from that. It will never smell like real grass does after the rain and it will never feel quite the same.

Environment: It simply wouldn’t be fair to say that right now artificial grass is necessarily better for the environment as it does still involve a run-off of water and the manufacturing process involves using plastics and will inevitably impact the environment in terms of carbon emissions as a result of energy used. However, the future of artificial grass is looking much greener. Artificial grass is going to be much more carbon friendly in the future, with the potential for large holding tanks collecting the water run-off and the ability to recycle the faulty or used turf much more efficiently.

Initial cost: While artificial grass is cheaper to have long-term, it costs quite a lot more than grass seed to purchase and install initially. And if you’re faced with a bill of £16.00 or £1600 for lawn installation, artificial grass can feel like quite an investment.